Hope
by DisneyAddict2012
Summary: Kagome has been living in the modern era for 6 years after the battle of Naraku. The well has dried up, no longer her link to the Feudal Era. But Kagome returned to the future with some...baggage. And what do they have to do with a certain Demon Lord?
1. Nozomi Arc: Mommy

_Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, it's characters, or anything associated to the franchise. The copyrigth strictly goes to VIZ, Rumiko Takahashi, and their associates_.

Chapter 1

Nozomi Arc  
_Mommy_

"You're slow, mama."

I watched as my mom hurried to put on her stockings and shoes. Giggling as she hit her foot on the couch, I picked up my backpack by the door as I heard mom whisper some of the bad words she told me not to repeat.

"Don't mind me, honey," mommy said, noticing that I was listening to her. As she put her purse on her shoulder I reached up to her, asking to be picked up. She pulled me up by my armpits and settled me on her hip before we left the house.

As we walked to my school, I told mom about the kids in my class and what we were going to do today with the teacher. Mommy always seemed to be partly listening whenever we walked somewhere. I think she worries about something when we're outside. I don't know why, but it scares me when she does.

That's why I talk-to keep it from being so quiet.

Mom always liked the quiet, even when I was smaller. That's why I tried not to cry as a baby. It made mommy sad when I cried and she hated the noise. As I got bigger she always looked at me like she was worried because I made so little noise, so I started to talk. Sometimes I don't understand mommy. She likes the quiet, but doesn't like it when I'm quiet.

I think it's because of _him._

Mommy never talks about him, but I know she thinks about him a lot-my daddy. I've never met him, either, but I've seen him in my dreams. I can't remember what he looks like when I wake up, but I always remember how strong he is. In my dreams he fights to protect me and he looks at me like I'm the special-ist thing in the world! That's how a daddy is supposed to look at his daughter, too, from what Auntie Eri says. I wonder why mom never talks about him or why I've never seen him. There has to be a good reason, but I can't help but wonder.

I blinked as I heard mommy gasp. I winced a bit as mommy held me tighter. Looking where mom was facing, my eyes widened a bit. I opened my mouth to say something, but the person mommy was looking at spoke first.

"Priestess."

I think mommy stopped breathing, but her heart moved faster than normal. I looked up at her, worried. Her eyes had tears wanting to come out and her mouth was open like she wanted to say something. Looking back at the person, I knew who it was. Mommy's reaction told me.

"You're him."

The man looked at me. His eyes scared me, but I continued to look at him. He looked at me like I was an alien. I don't know why, but he kept staring at me like I was weird. After a minute, he looked back at mommy.

"Explain."

I felt mommy take a breath. She seemed to be back to her normal self...kind of. When she spoke, though, I think both me and the man were surprised.

"She's yours."

-

A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I promise the others will be longer! But this is my first Sess/Kag fic so please give me a little criticism! I'd like to know if I should continue this. I have an idea for this fic, but I need a little input as to whether or not it's a good idea...


	2. Nozomi Arc: Daddy?

_Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, it's characters, or anything associated to the franchise. The copyrigth strictly goes to VIZ, Rumiko Takahashi, and their associates_.

Chapter 2

Nozomi Arc  
_Daddy?_

"_She's Yours"_

I was right! I knew it once I looked at him. He _is_ my daddy! I remember seeing his eyes in my dreams! I turned to the man, ready to talk to him but his answer stopped me.

"Impossible."

Impossible? Mommy used that word before…am I impossible? What made me impossible?

"She _is_ yours."

I looked back up at Mommy. Her face was down, not looking at me or at the man. I've only seen mom that sad a few times. I didn't like it. I _don't_ like it. I wiggled in mommy's arms until she put me down. I don't think she knew she was still holding me. When my feet touched the ground, I ran over to the man and pulled on his suit pants. When he looked down, I saw his eyes again. They were like mine, but not like mine.

"Can you come have lunch me?" I asked him. Mommy must have heard me, because she pulled me away from him and shook her head at me.

"Don't, Nozomi." I frowned at mom. Don't do what? She looked back up at the man and spoke again. "Let me drop her off at school. I'll explain everything." I turned to the man to see him nod before mommy picked me up again and we finished walking to my school.

The man followed us quietly, and I know now why mommy hated me being so quiet. I reminded her of him. He was quiet.

"Hello Kagome." I turned to see my teacher, Ms. Taka, open the door for us. Her eyes widened as she saw the man behind us, but she didn't talk about him. Mommy put me down and I walked over to Ms. Taka and took her hand. "Have a good day, Kagome," Ms. Taka said to mom, still looking at the man.

Mommy said goodbye to me and gave me a goodbye kiss before leaving with the man behind her. I watched them leave as Ms. Taka pulled me inside. "Is that your father, Nozomi?"

I looked up at Ms. Taka and blinked. I thought about that man being my daddy and I smiled. "I hope so. He seems strong!"

-

-

"Nozomi," Ms. Taka's assistant, Ami, called me. I looked up from my book as I sat in the playroom. Ami walked over and knelt down in front of me. "You have a visitor." She nodded to look at the person coming into the room.

I blinked as I looked behind Ami, seeing the man from earlier. Ami stood up and said something to the man before leaving. Sitting in the chair next to me, the man looked nervous. Why would he be nervous to see me?

"Want me to read to you?" I asked with a smile. The man blinked as if in surprise, but the look vanished quickly.

"How old are you?"

I held up my hand with my thumb down, "four. My birthday is next month! Mommy says I'll be big enough to fix cereal by myself then!"

The man made a sound before nodding. When he didn't talk for a minute I turned to read my book again. I've read it before, but I like the story. It was a story about a cat named 'Socks.' Mom said it was a more "ader-vanced" book, but I could read it just fine. Well, except when I came to a word I couldn't say.

"What's this word?" I asked the man, showing him the book and pointing to the word. He looked at me, then the book, as if asking himself if he should answer me.

"Pounced." He said it as if the word tasted nasty. I giggled and looked back at the book. "Your name is Nozomi, correct?"

I looked up from my book and nodded at him. "That's…'cor-rect'." I said repeating the word. "What's your name?"

He seemed surprised I had asked him. "Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru Taisho."

I smiled, "Nozomi Higurashi! Nice to meet you!"

Sesshomaru—what a funny name—nodded to me and stared off into space. After a minute, I put my book down and jumped up from my seat and stood in front of him. He looked as if he was thinking really hard. I smiled and waved to him, getting his attention. "Yes?"

"What did you and mommy talk about?" I asked. "I've never seen her sad like that."

His eyebrow twitched! It was so funny! It was the only part of his face that moved. "Is that so?"

I looked down at my feet. "Not really, but she hasn't been that sad in a long time." Smiling at him, I bounced on my tippy toes. "Maybe you can make mommy happy! Auntie Yuka always says mommy 'needs a man!' Can you be mommy's man?"

He stood up so quickly I fell on my butt. Did I say something wrong? He looked down at me with those scary eyes again. A second ago they almost looked like mine. Like the eyes from my dream.

"You are mistaken, little one."

I blinked. "You can't be mommy's man? Then can you be…" I shook my head and turned to grab my book. This man was scary, the way he looked at me. "Sorry." I sniffed. I hugged my book as tears fell from my eyes. I felt Sesshomaru kneel down behind me. He was big and tall, like a tree. If only he wasn't so scary…

"…I apologize, pup."

I turned to him, wiping the tears from my face. "What is 'apologize'?"

He sighed—like mommy does a lot—and patted me on the head. "…I'm sorry. I have frightened you."

His eyes weren't so scary when he spoke to me that time. "It's okay," I smiled. "You look like him."

His eyebrow twitched again! "Who?"

"The man in my dreams. The one who helped mommy fight the bad man," I said. "My daddy."

Sesshomaru sighed again—do all grownups do that a lot?—and patted my head again. "I cannot be your father."

"Why?"

"You are human."

Human? Isn't everyone human? That's what my teacher told me, what my aunties Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi told me. I didn't understand.

"But…you're human, too."

Sesshomaru froze in front of me. I don't know what happened, but his eyes turned scary again but I don't think he was being scary towards me. A second later he sighed and stood up and turned. I stood up, too, and frowned as I saw him begin to leave.

"Mister Sesshomaru!" He stopped. "Can you have lunch with me tomorrow?" He made a small noise and I smiled. I'm pretty sure it meant 'yes'.

Ami walked in as Sesshomaru left and she looked at me with that same look mommy gives me when I don't eat broccoli. "Okay, missy, you've had enough free time. It's naptime for you like all the others."

I frowned but nodded and followed Ami to the nap room with the other kids.

-

A/N: Ugh. Another short chapter. I'm not used to writing short chapters, but if I go on any further the suspense will die. At least this one's longer than the last one! Thank you to my reviewers! I wasn't sure how this would be percieved, but I appreciate the critism and input! Thank you!


	3. Nozomi Arc: Dinner Guest

_Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, it's characters, or anything associated to the franchise. The copyrigth strictly goes to VIZ, Rumiko Takahashi, and their associates_.

Chapter 3

Nozomi Arc  
_Dinner Guest_

I love my mom's cooking. It tastes way better than my school food and she lets me help make it sometimes. She made macaroni and cheese the night he first came over.

"I wonder who that is," Mommy said as she stood up from the table. I put another spoon of food into my mouth as she walked to the door. Mommy's surprised voice made me curious. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a few questions."

I squealed in happiness as I heard Sesshomaru's voice. He came to visit! Hopping down from the table, I ran into the living room to see him and Mommy staring at each other.

"Fine," Mommy spoke first. "I guess there's no harm in that. Are you hungry? We were in the middle of dinner."

I saw him shake his head. He looks like a doggie when he shakes his head! I smiled and walked up to him and tugged on his leg. When he looked at me, I smiled. "Welcome home."

His eyes widened a bit at my welcome. I don't know why. "I think you mean 'welcome to our home,' sweetie." I heard Mommy say in the kitchen. I looked down and nodded. But I meant what I said.

Letting go of his leg I held my hand up to Sesshomaru. "Come in, please." He blinked before taking my hand-he has sharp nails-and I walked him to the couch. When he sat down I climbed up and sat next to him. I opened my mouth to speak when Mommy walked in and put me on the floor.

"You, missy, have to finish eating." She told me in her 'you know you should do it' voice. I nodded and ran into the kitchen, climbed onto my chair and began eating again.

"She is almost five." I heard Sesshomaru tell Mommy.

Mommy sighed. "Yes. Next month."

"She told me so."

I could hear Mommy's surprise. "When did you talk to her?"

"I visited her school after our...reunion."

I heard Mommy get up from her seat. "What right did you have to do that!? She doesn't know you!"

"She is my daughter, is she not?" Sesshomaru said 'stoically'. I heard that word at school and it sounds right to use it for him.

"...yes." Mommy answered. "But you were so set against it earlier today."

"She is human."

I took another bite of my macaroni as I listened. Mommy didn't say anything too quickly. I could see Mommy biting her lip in thought, in my mind. Mom always did that when she was troubled. Auntie Eri said it was because it was Mommy's natural 'charmer technique.' Whatever that means.

"It's my fault she is." I blinked. What was Mommy's fault? "My blood quelled the power of yours. It's not her fault."

I heard them whisper some things, but I couldn't hear them. I wonder what they were talking about now.

"You left." I turned in towards the living room when Sesshomaru spoke loud enough for me to hear again.

"I had no choice. The well dragged me through." Mommy said. "If...if I had the choice..."

"You denied me my child."

"How the hell was I supposed to find you?!" I jumped when Mommy yelled. "I didn't even know if you were still around five hundred years later! I denied you nothing! If you wanted to see me so badly, you would have searched for me, too, you know!"

They were quiet for a long time before Sesshomaru said, "I avoided you."

"Why?"

"It would have altered history if you met me, here, before Naraku's demise."

I heard Mommy sigh. "What about after?" When he didn't answer I heard Mommy do a scary laugh. "You hated me that much? You could have asked for me to revoke-"

"I could do no such thing." Sesshomaru cut Mommy off in a scary voice. "When this Sesshomaru took you, I had every intention to keep you, Priestess. To turn you away would go against everything I stand for."

"Even after all of these years?" I heard Mommy sigh again. "Even after the child I bore for you was a human?" They were talking about humans again. Was Sesshomaru an alien? He didn't look like the one on that movie...E.T. Maybe he had on a costume to look like everyone else?

"Human or not, this Sesshomaru's blood still flows through her veins. I will not be denied what is rightfully mine."

"It takes more than a blood-relation to be a child's father, Sesshomaru."

I turned around to finish eating and stopped when I heard Sesshomaru. "It is not polite to eavesdrop, child." I gulped and climbed down from my seat and walked into the living room. Sesshomaru's face was blank and Mommy's face was mad.

"Nozomi..." Mommy sighed loudly, "what am I going to do with you?"

I ignored Mommy and walked up to Sesshomaru and stood in front of him. His eyes looked like mine and I smiled. I liked it when he didn't look scary. "Will you be my daddy, Mister Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru looked at Mom and I looked at her, too. She was trying not to cry and her hands were balled up. Mommy always cried when she was mad. I do, too. Why was Mom mad, though? Was it because I asked Sesshomaru to be my daddy? I felt Sesshomaru's hand on my head and I looked back at him.

"Another day, little one." He said. I smiled as I looked at his eyes. They were like the man's eyes from my dream. For a second, he really was my daddy.

"I think it's time for you to go, Sesshomaru," Mommy said as she picked me up. I looked at Sesshomaru sadly as he stood up and left. Mom locked the door and we went to my room so I could go to bed.

After brushing my teeth-the toothpaste tastes nasty, but my toothbrush plays music!-Mommy tucked me in. "Why can't Mister Sesshomaru be my daddy?"

When Mommy looked at me I wished I didn't ask. She looked sadder than ever. She smiled, but her eyes were very sad. "Because Mister Sesshomaru doesn't understand you. Once he understands, if he ever understands, then he can..." Mommy's face told me the rest, though. _'...if he tries.'_

I kissed her goodnight, she turned out the light and I sighed. If Sesshomaru didn't understand then I'd make him understand! Mommy worries so much; I wanted to help stop her worry. If I could make Sesshomaru my daddy, she would worry less. Smiling at the thought, I fell asleep.

-

_"KAGOME!" A man with dog ears yelled as he ran towards Kagome._

_The priestess was hovering over an injured monk, a bow's string singing as its recently freed arrow sailed through the skies, as a demon slayer ran up to tend to his wounds. Blood littered the ground as demons fell left and right at the group's hand._

_"Over here, InuYasha!" Kagome called as she loaded her bow again. Her eyes scanned the fresh graveyard for another target. The dog-eared man landed next to her, his sword out at the ready._

_"Come on," He said turning so she could climb onto his back, "Sesshomaru and Koga are already fighting him." Nodding, Kagome settled herself on InuYasha's back and winced as he tousled her around in order to get a better grip of her. "Are you injured, Kagome?"_

_Kagome shook her head, "no, I'm fine. Just a slight pain in my stomach. Probably from eating too much, too fast this morning. Let's go." InuYasha took off through the forest, leaving their monk friend in the care of their other companion._

_"That bastard better save some of Naraku for me to beat on," InuYasha muttered into the wind. As he caught a glimpse of white, InuYasha's pace sped up. "Hey!"_

_"About time you caught up, mutt," a wolf demon snorted. InuYasha shot the wolf a glare as Kagome climbed off his back. When she fell to her knees, both men looked at her with concern. "Are you alright, Kagome?"_

_"I thought you said you were fine!" InuYasha panicked._

_"She is."_

_Kagome turned to see the white figure InuYasha had tracked a moment ago. "Lord Sesshomaru." The demon lord grasped her wrist and lifted her to her feet._

_"Can you fight?" Kagome nodded at his question and readied her bow. Seeing Kagome's eagerness for battle, InuYasha and the wolf jumped into the fight with the creature before them as he attempted escape. Kagome paused in notching her arrow as another sharp pain flew through her stomach. "Are you well?"_

_Jaw clenched, Kagome notched her arrow and aimed it at the large creature called Naraku. "Will everyone stop asking me that?!" As her arrow flew Sesshomaru chased it parallel to the ground, his sword drawn and ready for the kill._

_No one noticed the priestess as she fell to her knees once more, gripping her stomach in agony._

-

A/N: Thank you for your support, everyone! This one's an even longer chapter! I'm getting better! Anyway, some people think I make the details too simplisitc for the story. I'm working on that, I promise! But you also have to consider, the story's coming from a 4-year-old's point of view. They don't take in too much of their surroundings if they're focused on something. As shown earlier in the chapter, Nozomi even lost interest in her food after a while. Children tend to have a one-track mind.

The next chapter should be out soon! Also, I apologize for the wait...and the rather short chapter. :( The school term is nearing a close for me so I'm at a tight end when it comes to time management. I currently have four projects due within the week....plus regular homework. Gotta love college, right? 8D


	4. Nozomi Arc: Sleepover

_Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, it's characters, or anything associated to the franchise. The copyrigth strictly goes to VIZ, Rumiko Takahashi, and their associates_.

Chapter 4

Nozomi Arc  
_Sleepover_

I'm spending the night at Sesshomaru's home today.

Mommy is finally letting me! I don't know why she's so mad at Sesshomaru, but she didn't want me spending too much time with him. So I would only eat lunch with him and he would pick me up from school.

When I asked to spend a day to play with Sesshomaru, Mommy would always say 'no,' because he was very busy. He's never busy when he eats lunch with me, though, so I don't see what Mom is talking about.

Mommy said 'yes' only after a lot of yelling between her and Sesshomaru. They used a lot of big, grown-up words so I don't know what they said, but Sesshomaru convinced Mommy to let me stay with him Friday and Saturday! It's my first sleep over!

"Be good, honey, okay?" Mommy said as she kissed my cheek. I giggled and nodded, picking up my pink backpack. "Do whatever Sesshomaru says, and be nice to his guests."

Sesshomaru always has people over at his house. Mommy says they work for him and they help make his work easier.

"Yes, ma'am!" I said as Sesshomaru handed me my yellow raincoat. She gave him a weird look before kissing my cheek again and waving goodbye to me and Sesshomaru. I waved back as Sesshomaru and I walked to his car.

I climbed in the front seat—my first time, too!—and put on my seatbelt. Sesshomaru got into the seat for the driver and started the car. I reached in the backseat and pulled out my Hello Kitty blanket and wrapped myself in it. Sesshomaru bought it for me on a really cold day. It's my favorite, but I leave it in his car so I won't be cold when I first get in.

I looked up at Sesshomaru and smiled. We met two weeks ago and he has come to visit me every day! Mommy says it's because he's curious, but I think he really wants to be my daddy. But when I tell Mommy that, she gets the sad look in her eyes so I change the subject.

"Will there be other kids, Mister Sesshomaru?" I asked as I snuggled into my blanket more.

He looked at me quickly before turning back to the road. "Possibly." I smiled at the thought. "An employee of mine has a few…children, as well."

I wiggled in my seat to turn to him—the seatbelt is too big!—and squealed, "really? Are they my age?"

"Roughly." His eye twitched. I frowned; his eye twitched whenever he was nervous or hiding something. He did the same thing when I asked him what 'sex' meant. He told me that it was what 'mothers and fathers do.' Mommy laughed and said that it was a fancy word for asking if I'm a boy or girl. I still can't believe Sesshomaru lied to me! He tried to confuse me! Thankfully, Mommy told me the truth.

"Welcome home, Mister Taisho," a lady said as Sesshomaru drove up to his house. The lady held an umbrella over my door as she opened it for me. "And welcome, Miss Higurashi." I blinked and looked around. I didn't see Mommy, so why was the lady welcoming her?

"Just refer to her as 'Nozomi,'" Sesshomaru said as he opened his umbrella and began to walk to his house. I pulled up the hood of my raincoat and followed him and the lady followed me. I think she was one of Sesshomaru's workers, like Mommy said.

"WOW!" I said as I looked at Sesshomaru's home. It was so big, probably as big as my school! Maybe even bigger! I had to run to catch up to Sesshomaru as he ignored me and walked inside. The lady from before took my raincoat and backpack, and Sesshomaru's umbrella and walked off.

Sesshomaru pointed to the room to my left, saying it was the 'common room' for his workers and the room to the right was the 'entertainment room' for watching movies and playing games. He pointed upstairs and said the bedrooms were up there.

Sesshomaru made a funny face before picking me up and kicking something behind me. I turned in his arms to see a little boy under Sesshomaru's raised foot. The boy had short brown hair and green eyes. "Hi!" I said. Sesshomaru gave me a look to be quiet.

"What is the meaning of this, Kyoji?" He said to the boy. The boy glared up at us, and I saw he had a brown poufy tail! Do all boys have tails?

"She smells yummy, Lord Sesshomaru!" Kyoji said. I hugged Sesshomaru around his neck. I didn't like what the boy said. "Did you bring her for me and Yuri?"

"Absurd." Sesshomaru snorted at the boy. He made funny face again—it looks like he's sniffing the air—and said, "Call for your sibling." The boy frowned before making a weird noise like a whistle. I looked up at Sesshomaru, wondering what was going on.

"What have you done now, Kyoji, you insufferable pup?" A woman yelled as she walked into the hall. She was pretty, long brown hair and blue eyes. My eyes widened a bit when I saw her ears; they were pointed like Sesshomaru's. The lady bowed when she saw me and Sesshomaru. "I apologize, my lord, for my pup's behavior. He is known to get into trouble quite often."

"As is any other pup of our kind, Natsume." Sesshomaru said, bored. "Where is your other one?" The lady pulled a child off her back, then.

"My youngest one, my lord," Miss Natsume said. The girl she held was like the boy, but with long red hair and blue eyes.

Sesshomaru pulled me from him and placed me on the floor in front of him. "This is Nozomi." I looked up to see him talking to the two kids. "She is not to be harmed for she is staying under my protection."

Miss Natsume nudged the boy and glared at the girl. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," they said together. Miss Natsume put the girl down and she walked up to me and sniffed me. It was weird! She smiled at me, "you smell like Lord Sesshomaru." She looked up at her mommy. "She smells like milord, mom. How can she, if she is human?" I frowned. Human? Was it weird that I was human? Wasn't she?

Miss Natsume looked at Sesshomaru with a scared face. I didn't understand why. Sesshomaru placed his hand on my head and I looked up at him. "Stay in the entertainment room. I will come retrieve you later." I nodded as he gave Miss Natsume a scary look and they walked into the common room.

"I'm Yuri," The girl said as she pulled me into the entertainment room. "That's my brother, Kyoji. He has no manners." Kyoji glared at Yuri and I laughed.

Kyoji walked up to me and sniffed me like Yuri did earlier. "You do smell like milord. Why?" I blinked. I smelled like Sesshomaru?

"Because she's his pup," Yuri said as she climbed onto the couch in front of the big TV. "Don't you know anything, Kyoji?"

He stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. He grabbed my hand—he has sharp nails like Sesshomaru, too—and pulled me over to the couch and TV. "Lord Sesshomaru lets us play videogames in here. Do you play Smash Brothers?" I shook my head when he handed me a game remote. He smiled, "I'm gonna teach you."

-

I opened my eyes to see Sesshomaru above me. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, yawning. "Sesshomaru…?"

"You fell asleep in the entertainment room." He said quietly. I remember lying on the couch with Yuri and Kyoji. We must have fallen asleep.

I felt him pick me up and I gripped his shirt and yawned again. I don't remember him walking up the stairs, but I remember the pillow I hugged when he put me in bed. I heard the door beginning to close and I yawned, "Nighty night."

"Goodnight," he said and closed the door. I fell asleep after that.

-

A/N: I apologize for the wait. ^^; The school term just ended for me, so I had a crazy amount of projects/homework/tests to do. But now I have a full week off from school! So I'll try to get a couple updates out of it before the chaos ensues once more.

Hint for the next chapter: Sesshomaru's Arc begins! Get inside the mind of the infamous demon lord on his take of this...situation. :3 Until next time!


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